Okay so this thread is about words. The ones we actually use, the ones we mean to use, the ones we want to use, and the ones that eventually make it into our stories.
So my dilemma began when I wrote a line into my story about a prostitute who made some silly comments about mathematics. Now, as my MC is listening to this woman make a mess of math to the men listening, she's amused by the fact that this woman has a calculating mind and keen intellect, yet she so artfully crafted her airhead personality, so as not to display her intelligence. She plays dumb, but in a silly and cute way, to appear non-threatening, because some of her business is information. People talk in front of her because they think she's stupid. Now, I don't buy into the "dumb broad" stereotype, and I know it's outdated, as that Progressive Car Insurance video about the 50s, but the stereotype plays a role in my story, so I'm embracing it in a small way, in this one section, pertaining to this one character. I just needed to get that out of the way for context reasons, so you all know where I'm coming from. Here's the paragraph:
What I'm struggling with is language. I don't want to use words that sound too scientific, like "prostitute", and I don't want the MC to use "whore" in her head, because she doesn't feel negatively about this woman and her chosen occupation, in fact, she admires the way she's created a personality that is contrary to her real inner strength (much like my MC is a crime boss' mistress, but she isn't really, she's his spy).
Anyways, going back to words, I find the Thesaurus.com site very helpful because it includes various uses for words and gives details about how and when words were used, and even discusses word origins. But for some words, I struggle with including modern concepts in a historical-feeling world, and just wondered how you guys deal with this sort of issue.
Some words that are in common use today simply didn't exist a few hundred years ago, which is the approximate time period of most of my stories, and while i enjoy including certain modern concepts and language, I try to always be conscious of when words originated in their current form and usage.
So, in the card game they're playing (basically no-limit Texas Hold'em) they use modern language, which was from about the American West to the middle of the 20th century. Not exactly historical, but I felt like if I reinvented the wheel (as in all the poker language) it would just be taxing on readers' brains. Why not just use the words we commonly use now, like "flop", "blind", "river", "check-raise", etc.?
But then I wonder whether it's okay to leave the game as an isolated event, where modern language is used in that one context, but to use older words more fitting of the time period of the story? And so enters the word "strumpet", a 14th century word that means a loose woman, and to "strum" is to carnally know a woman, or to play a stringed instrument. AAK! I mean...where must the line be drawn to include a nod toward historical words, but not be limited to only them? I certainly don't want to make up words left and right, but it feels unnatural to include too many 20th century words in what is more similar to a Renaissance world.
I'm really straddling a difficult line, here, because on the one hand, I enjoy historical words and their meanings, but on the other hand, I want my stories to be readable and make sense to folks who aren't the history buff I am. I've already abandoned certain historical concepts, as i'm writing fantasy, is it even something worth worrying about if I use more modern words and expect a reader to understand the story is meant to be relayed to them in a more modern way? None of my characters speak in an archaic manner or anything, but I like to use words in common use before 1750, just for the sake of consistency, but certain things in our real world (like poker) didn't exist then, and so I've had to make exceptions. But then I look at words like "strumpet" against words like floozy (an early 20th century term) and I wonder whether i'm not overcomplicating things by sticking to outdated word choices? Like does the word I chose then affect the tone of my story?
I should clarify that I'm not actually looking for a better word (as I'm pretty familiar with all words for a "lady of the evening"), but i'm looking for general thoughts on how word choice can be jarring, and general feedback on how you guys deal with this sort of issue, when you write historical-feeling fantasy for a modern audience. Which is more important, sticking to the right time period and the words that were in use during the general period of the story, or creating the right "feel" for a modern reader, who is more concerned about understanding the concepts you're trying to get across, despite perhaps a bit of anachronism in the words themselves?
So my dilemma began when I wrote a line into my story about a prostitute who made some silly comments about mathematics. Now, as my MC is listening to this woman make a mess of math to the men listening, she's amused by the fact that this woman has a calculating mind and keen intellect, yet she so artfully crafted her airhead personality, so as not to display her intelligence. She plays dumb, but in a silly and cute way, to appear non-threatening, because some of her business is information. People talk in front of her because they think she's stupid. Now, I don't buy into the "dumb broad" stereotype, and I know it's outdated, as that Progressive Car Insurance video about the 50s, but the stereotype plays a role in my story, so I'm embracing it in a small way, in this one section, pertaining to this one character. I just needed to get that out of the way for context reasons, so you all know where I'm coming from. Here's the paragraph:
“Oh poo, and this whole time, I thought we were doing well,” Rhynda said, adding a bit of dejection in her tone for emphasis. Of all the professional women Raisa knew, Rhynda alone had mastered the mien of the giddy, empty-headed strumpet. Whenever she spoke, the words were so artfully crafted, one might miss the cunning intellect that intentionally appeared so shallow. It was a fine line between comedy and tragedy, a show Raisa enjoyed to watch, though she watched it alone. Everyone else pitied poor, stupid Rhynda, who was good for nothing but selling her affection. The joke was on them, time and again.
What I'm struggling with is language. I don't want to use words that sound too scientific, like "prostitute", and I don't want the MC to use "whore" in her head, because she doesn't feel negatively about this woman and her chosen occupation, in fact, she admires the way she's created a personality that is contrary to her real inner strength (much like my MC is a crime boss' mistress, but she isn't really, she's his spy).
Anyways, going back to words, I find the Thesaurus.com site very helpful because it includes various uses for words and gives details about how and when words were used, and even discusses word origins. But for some words, I struggle with including modern concepts in a historical-feeling world, and just wondered how you guys deal with this sort of issue.
Some words that are in common use today simply didn't exist a few hundred years ago, which is the approximate time period of most of my stories, and while i enjoy including certain modern concepts and language, I try to always be conscious of when words originated in their current form and usage.
So, in the card game they're playing (basically no-limit Texas Hold'em) they use modern language, which was from about the American West to the middle of the 20th century. Not exactly historical, but I felt like if I reinvented the wheel (as in all the poker language) it would just be taxing on readers' brains. Why not just use the words we commonly use now, like "flop", "blind", "river", "check-raise", etc.?
But then I wonder whether it's okay to leave the game as an isolated event, where modern language is used in that one context, but to use older words more fitting of the time period of the story? And so enters the word "strumpet", a 14th century word that means a loose woman, and to "strum" is to carnally know a woman, or to play a stringed instrument. AAK! I mean...where must the line be drawn to include a nod toward historical words, but not be limited to only them? I certainly don't want to make up words left and right, but it feels unnatural to include too many 20th century words in what is more similar to a Renaissance world.
I'm really straddling a difficult line, here, because on the one hand, I enjoy historical words and their meanings, but on the other hand, I want my stories to be readable and make sense to folks who aren't the history buff I am. I've already abandoned certain historical concepts, as i'm writing fantasy, is it even something worth worrying about if I use more modern words and expect a reader to understand the story is meant to be relayed to them in a more modern way? None of my characters speak in an archaic manner or anything, but I like to use words in common use before 1750, just for the sake of consistency, but certain things in our real world (like poker) didn't exist then, and so I've had to make exceptions. But then I look at words like "strumpet" against words like floozy (an early 20th century term) and I wonder whether i'm not overcomplicating things by sticking to outdated word choices? Like does the word I chose then affect the tone of my story?
I should clarify that I'm not actually looking for a better word (as I'm pretty familiar with all words for a "lady of the evening"), but i'm looking for general thoughts on how word choice can be jarring, and general feedback on how you guys deal with this sort of issue, when you write historical-feeling fantasy for a modern audience. Which is more important, sticking to the right time period and the words that were in use during the general period of the story, or creating the right "feel" for a modern reader, who is more concerned about understanding the concepts you're trying to get across, despite perhaps a bit of anachronism in the words themselves?